Members of the Order of the Mustard Seed (OMS) generally wear either a tattoo or a ring carrying the words of Romans 14:7: “OY∆EIΣ HMΩN EAYTΩ ZH” (‘None of us lives for themselves.’). This is the original text worn by the founders of the OMS, and it emphasises the communal aspect of our Rule - seeking to prefer one another and to honour those who have gone before.

Why the ring?
Most monastic orders would have a symbol that reflects the common vows taken by its members. This might be a habit, the belt worn (often with a knot for each vow), a hood to symbolise a life devoted to prayer and to Christ. When Zinzendorf instigated the original Order of the Mustard Seed in the 18th century, he and some classmates wore rings to symbolise their vows, engraved with the phrase "No man lives unto himself."

Inspired by Zinzendorf’s original order, most members of the OMS today also wear a ring that is inscribed with that same phrase from Romans 14.

The big advantage of people wearing the 'official' ring, is that it becomes a symbol that clearly unites us all - and in a world of individualism, the commitment to having something in common is quite precious.